Apparatus for cooling or conditioning air or other fluids



April 27,1948. R. J. KENNY I 2,440,446

APPARATUS FOR COOLING OR CONDITIONING AIR OR OTHER FLUIDS Filed July 12, 1945 2 sheets-shea 2 FIG. Z.

Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNHTED" STATES. vFICE APPARATUS FOR. COOLING t 0R CONDTIONL- INGru AIR 0R y OTHER FLUIDS RichardfosephKennwhowrag British India Application .Fuly 121945, SerialNo. 604,708- In Britishlndia July 31,1944

This invention relatesto' a` machine for ecol-4 n'g' fluids and 'f or cooling 'and Lhumidifying' inverydry climates,` conditioning-and to a lesser extent for'` cleaning air by Washing; the coolingand hu-` midifying being effected bymeans'ofevaporation of l water in' adry climate; and the washing is` be-LV ing eiiected by causing'the air to be conditionedV4 to. comev intov intimate" Contact withA films of' wak terv which Willhavetheeffect not only of Cooling byevaporation but will"l also pick up andl remove' dust'and'impurities from'theair'.

The' invention; is also 'applicable to cooling wa-A4 ter by evaporation of part 'of the water bythe"V passage in contacttherewith cfa draught-Grain An object of the invention isto effect theseresults at" allow capital expenditurecand running costs;

The apparatus is of 'the kind' comprising a case ing, a rotary drum Withinthe casing; consisting of any desired number ofperforatedcircumferem tiallayers, forming anevaporatin'g'surface, a wa-` ter tank below the drum forA wetting' ther lower parts ofthe said layers as the drum rotates, a fan facing one end ofY the drum for l"supplying a draughtof airthrough the drum; and Varies or the likesecured to the inside of the .drumto rotate it when the' draught of air from' the fan passes therethrough.

In apparatus of thisv kind there is av tendency for theA air. discharged4` from the 'fan to takethe44 easiest path,viz. leak through`between theopen end of the .drum and the` casing. Its-failing, to "go throughthe drum has two effects? (1') the'driv ing powerof the' van'es secured to the" inside of' the drum is reducedan'd therewith alsothe power *l of lifting the water picked .up by the lower sidor the l drum, and (2)'1 the amount of lair passing through the lmsof water spread over theperfo'- rated layers is also reduced.

According to` the present 'invention' these rer ductons. areV prevented or checked 'by the provision of an air leakage check'ring securedV tothe end of the drumfacing thefan and' providedwith blades so inclinedto the axis'of the drum that the air passing into the check ringwll cause these blades to rotate the drum intheY same directionas it is turned by the vanes secured to the 'inside' of the drum. A cowl is also preferably provided' toprevent-the air discharged' by thefan from passing direct into the casing and'to'compel it to Pass through the. bladed checkring and'inbetween the perforated layers of the drum; Afor which purpose the cowl, whicl'i'isflxed tothe end of theioasing, surrounds the openend'of the drum.

In'order to extend the llow of theairthroughthe layers" ofJ the drum,` andU thereby' increase rthef# evaporating` elect, each layer,4 preferably Vmariti"- of expanded: metal; is:helicallywoundv round lwithL A a matsurf'acelike material;` leavinlg narrow spacesi between' tl'iei various convolutionsg andt-he spaces between` the convolutions of` each' layer are stag-` apparatus ist started, a starting mechanismffor mechanically rotating the .drum may be provided;H

adapted' to be effective particularly "when Athe workingbfxthe apparatus. is"just'startin'g;` For' this' purposet'he farrfor supplying fair to the a-p paratus `may drive a secondshaft by means of- 'a' belt' at a' much'reduoed number ofi revolutionspe-r` minute thanthe R,:P; M: ofthe-fan; and saidsecf ondshaft'` in turn drive the drum byfmeans'ofa belt-at a veryslow speed; ofrevolution;n

Means may be provided whereby the level-:filth` lthe watertank, receptacleor bath may "he" reg-1ilat'edtba desired level:

The' invention'will new be deseribed-1with ref-- erenc'e to the; accompanying drawings, ninwhich Fig. 1 shows', "mainly in' crossL-se'cti'o'ni 1 afer-rnfk which' th apparatusmaytake: Thisiis partlylf shown'dlagramrnatically'.

Fig." 2 'is' a" cross-section oi'A Figure' l, for exarrrf ple on linesA-B of Figure 1.

Fi'ggg isla View ofthe rotor 'niemberlin'thelform of 'a drumor=cylirid`er showing how one'forrrrofrity Figi isa'fragmental'cross'sectienl'o a partici* the drum shown to a larger scale, and

Fig. 5 is a; diagram showing anauX-iliary drive to be"used "particularly whenstartin'gtheap-`A` paratus. 4

Turning. nowtoFgurf-:s l 'and'2, thedrain-orf` cylinder' |V of the rotor'mernber isv mounted onta shaft" 2 which isA mountedin bearings 3 andllf f which willrbe' some ty'pe 'of anti-frictionl hearing-,isuch as ball bearingsor rollerbearings; or at leastshouldlbe bearings which givefvery littlresistance to rotation-of thedrum; Fromftha shafttlireespiders orwheels,` 5,-6and 'ilfsunportl the evap# orationr-sur-faceof the druml- These wheels-fori" spiders have rims ii', Supo'niwhichltlfieldrumisure face may be'built up: I A convenientformof` drunii surfafcefis4 one -whereir'ra layer ofi' expanded metal?` 9 is' curved' toicylindrioall shape and isfatta'chedir` to the said rims 8, 8. Around this layer of expanded metal tape or webbing l0, as most clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, is wound, said tape or webbing being wound round in a helix with narrow spaces II, II between the various convolutions of the tape or. webbing. On the outside of the first layer 3 of the expanded metal spacers I2, I2 formed, for example, of small diameter iron rod, areY placed. As there are three wheels or spiders, 5, 6 and 1, such a spacer l2 will be placed opposite each of these. Another layer 9a of expanded metal is then placed supported by the rings l2 and spaced away from the rst layer 9.

Around this again tape or webbing Illa is wound in the same way as the first layer. The space between the convolutions of this second layer Illa would be in staggered relationship to the spaces between the windings or convolutions of the tape in the first layer I ii. Having built up two layers further rods or spacers l2a are placed in position, surrounding and outside the rst set of rods or spacers I2, and a third layer 9b of expanded metal is placed therearound, which will thus be spaced away from the second layer 9a. This third layer of expanded metal 9b is also wrappedwith tape or webbing, as shown at Illb. Finally, another spacing member, I2b may be placed in position to support the outermost layer 5c of the expanded metal or the like. Round this layer 9c of expanded metal, the fourth layer of tape or webbing is wound as a helix thereby giving the drum four layers of tape or webbing through which the air is caused toV pass in a zig-Zag or devious path as it escapes from the interior of the drum.

The drum I is supportedabove a water receptacle, tank or trough I3 which is kept full of water in order that it shall keep the drum suitably moistened as the drum is caused to rotate.

In order to supply air .to be conditioned and also to cause the drum to rotate, the fan Iii is provide-d, the fan blades being shown at I5. The fan motor has a shaft i6 which, however, is completely separate from the shaft 2 of the drum. The fan may be supported in any desired manner, for example by the framing I1.

Inside the drum I a series of rotation causing elements in the form of blades or vanes are iixed to the wheels or spiders 5 and 5. For example, to the wheel or spider 5 eight vanes, such as I8, may be xed, these blades being fixed at such an angle and, if desired, being given such a twist that as the draught of air from the fan Ifl yis forced into and flows longitudinally into the drum I, the drum will be caused to rotate.

On the second wheel or spider -S of the drum further blades or vanes, I9, I9 may be fixed. These conveniently may be half as many in number as are required for the rst set of blades or vanes i3.

The end of the drum or cylinder I opposite to the open end through which the fan delivers its draught of air will be closed, for example with cloth or plywoodv 20, so that the air which is forced by the fan blades I5 into the cylinder or drum I will be forced to pass out of the drum through the water soaked layers of webbing or the like Il! to Ic which have already been described.

It will thus be seen that under the action of the fan blades I5, the air not only is caused to flow into the drum I and to pass out through the cylindrical walls of the drum; but also the drum is caused to rotate. The lower side of -the drum dips into the water bath I3 which is kept full of water to about the level 2l, and hence-owing to the action of the draught on the blades--the drum I is continuously kept wet owing to its being rotated by .the draught acting upon the blades or vanes I8 and I9 respectively. The air thus passes by a devious path through the walls of the rotating drum where it comes into contact with, or passes through, or flows over films of water. The air is thus cooled by evaporation of water. The drum as mounted is inside a casing 22 which is xed to a door or window opening 23. In this door or window opening louvres such as 24, 24 may be fixed through which the conditioned air enters the house or building.

As there is some tendency for the air discharged from the fan to take the easiest path, it may be that part of the air discharged by the fan blades i5 will fail to go through the layers of webbing or fabric IEi-lc and instead will leak through between the open end of the drum and the end 25 of thecasing. 1n order to prevent this, or at least to check this, a cowl 26 is tted to the end 25 of the casing and projects inwards overlapping the open end of the drum. The open end of the drum.

is itself surrounded by an air leakage check ring 2l. This air leakage check ring is mounted upon the outside of the drum I at the open end of the drum upon a series of devices or blades, shown diagrammatically on the drawing at 28, 28, which are inclined to the axis of the drum, so that air passing into this air leakage check ring through the annular space between it and the drum will cause, by these blades, the drum to rotate in the same direction as the rotation caused by the main blades I3 and i9. rIhat is to say that air passing between these blades 28 will add its quota to the rotation of the drum. In order that this air leakage check ring may be properly supported, the drum, as carried by the wheel or spider 5, may be somewhat more solidly built up at its open end.

The air leakage check ring 21 may furthermore.

be helically wound with tape or webbing which will be kept moistened with water, as this ring also passes through the water bath, and thus the air passing through the annular space between the ring 21 and the drum I will be cooled.

It is important that the bath I3 shall be kept full oi water because for an eight roomed bungalow in the really hot weather there is an evaporation of about 2 gallons of water per hour. This bath may be hand-iilled as through the funnel 29 (see Fig. 2). Alternatively, if so desired, a ball float valve 33 may be provided, so that the water coming through the water pipe 3| will keep the level of the water in the bath at a desired level ZI. A suitable drain cock for the water 32 is shown so that the tank I3 may be emptied when desired.

If the apparatus is left standing for a considerable time, the water in lthe upper part Vof the drum surface above the level of the water in the tank i3 evaporates and the drum becomes dry, except for the small portion dipping below the surface of the water in the tank I3. Under such conditions the drum is in unstable equilibrium because the wet part of the drumis the heavier and it is thus more diiicult to cause the drum to start rotating, and, under certain conditions, it may be that the drum might not rotate upon the starting of the fan M. It is therefore desirable to have an alternative method whereby the drum may be caused to rotate until it is completely wet all round and thus equally balanced. A convenient alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 5 which is merely a diagram. According to this iigure it' will be seen that there is a gap 33 between the shaft 2 of the drum I and the shaft Ist/r the-ranmsothae there Vis. ne direct drive Onithe shaft' I 6 of the fan a small.

ample a bicycle wheelp, is fixed, the drive beingV bymeans of-` the belt 31." This counter-shaft 35 is supported in bearings 38, 33 and has a further small pulley wheel 331 xed thereto, which, througlrthebelt iwhich-passes round the drum I, will cause the drum l to rotate very slowly when the fan I4 is switched on.

As this subsidiary mechanism is only required atthe starting stageto overcome the resistance to motion when the drum is inl unbalanced equilibrium, when notneeded for. this4 purpose it may be arranged to idle. Alternatively a clutch arrangement il mounted between the bearings d2, Zion thefshaft may. beprovided'. Alternativelyasome other.methodotstartingithe rotation of thexdrurn, when .theupper part ofthe drum is dry, may. .be provided.Y

It is to be quite understood, however, that these subsidiary methods of driving are merely subsidiary to the main method whereby the rotati-on of the drum is mainly due to the action of the draught from the fan.

According to an experimental form of the machine, the rotor as designed for an eight-roomed bungalow, is about 3 ft. in diameter by about 3 long (but these dimensions can be varied according to the size of the machine required). This rotor revolves on two sets of ball bearings being carried by a light shaft. There are three wheels mounted inside the drum on the shaft to carry the drum. The drum consists of an inner layer of expanded metal over which are wound strips of cloth or tape, preferably about 2 wide, the windings being so applied that an air space of about 1A" in width is left between each winding or convolution of the tape and the next. Over this first part of the drum surface, three spacing rings-d each 1/4 in diameter or in thickness-are placed, and another layer of expanded metal also covered with 2" tape winding is built up, the convolutions of this tape being in staggered relationship to the convolutions in the rst layer. Altogether in this way, four layers of tape are built The blades or vanes forming the elements for rotating the rotor or drum are tted to the spokes of two of the wheels or spiders carrying the drum; but in the case of the third wheel or spider, the end of the drum is merely blanked off or closed. up by using a disc of ordinary cloth or plywood.

The position and angle of the blades such as I8 and i9 helps to break up the air stream and dispersos the air stream in the required direction towards the inner sides of the drum instead of allowing the full force of the air stream to impinge upon the closed end of the drum.

With a machine of the size suggested, a fan having 24" blades has been found very convenient.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details described and illustrated. For example, although it has been found very advantageous to use tape or webbing which is continuously passing through the water in the water tank, this is not absolutely essential. The tape, however, being soaked with water, carries a lm of water with it and the air passing through in a devious or zig-Zag path in contact with thin lms of water evaporates the water rapidly and cools very rapidly. The drum 6:! usuallyrotates `at about one revolutionper minute or perhaps movesl somewhat slower.

In place ofthe tape or- Webbing it would be quite satisfactory to use a porous cloth or fabric, or

even Khus-khus or the like, or anymaterial which will soak up water andwill allow the passage `of air therethrough. 4

The subsidiary rotationmeanswliichhave been described are-not intended to bea means-ofi driv ing the drum continuously; The intention. is that the said means, once the drum is being driven by the draught of airfrom the fan, will either be:

switclfledoff-` or will merely idle. The subsidiary means willfgenerallyfbeso geared that when theV fanis turned-on it will only be able to drive the drum'at'a speed somewhat lessthan theV speed at;`

which the drum" will normally be `driven by the fan. Alternatively; `handeoperated means might be` applied. Forzexample to the further` endof" the drumigearing may "beappliedso that upon, or prior to, switching on the fan i i li, the drum may be.A1

rotated by such hand-operated gearing the parts or belts of which would not necessarily enter the water tank at all, and this gearing might be fitted with a free wheel arrangement so that it will simply idle when once the apparatus is operating under normal conditions.

The direction of the draught might be reversed and the fan used to draw air into the drum and out again to rotate the drum.

A casing and louvres are not absolutelyl essential.

'Ihe water for cooling the air also effects a certain washing of the air by removing dust and impurities from the air which dust or the like nd their way into the receptacle for Water below the drum.

The apparatus is not only adapted for the cooling of air which is caused to pass therethrough but can be used for the cooling of other fluids; for example it may be adapted to cool water--the draught of air passing through the apparatus causing the water used for wetting the rotating member (or rotor) to be partially evaporated, and, in the process of evaporation the rest of the water flowing down is cooled.

When the intention is to use the apparatus particularly for cooling water extra water, if so desired, above that amount which is raised by the slow rotation of the rotating member (or rotor) may be supplied to the top of the said member, for example by a perforated pipe from an overhead source of supply, and this water be cooled by many degrees before reaching the tank beneath by the evaporation oi a relatively small proportion of the water.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for cooling or conditioning air or other uid, comprising in combination a casing, a rotary drum within the casing, consisting of at least one perforated circumferential layer, forming an evaporating surface, a water tank below the drum for wetting the lower part of the said layer as the drum rotates, a fan facing one end of the drum for supplying a draught of air through the drum, vanes secured to the inside of the drum to rotate it when the draught of air from the fan passes therethrough, an air leakage check ring secured to the end of the drum facing the fan and blades provided on the said check ring which are so inclined to the axis ofthe drum that the air passing into the check ring will cause these blades to rotate the drum in the same direction as it is turned by the vanes secured to the inside of the drum.

2. An apparatus for cooling or conditioning air lor other fluid as claimed in claim 1, and in which the drum consists of a plurality of perforated circumferential layers one within the other, forming an evaporating surface, each perforated layer being helicaliy wound round with a material leaving narrow spaces between the vari-ous convolutions, the spaces between the convolutions of each layer being staggered relatively to the spaces 0f the convolutions of the layer above or below it, whereby the air is caused to pass in a Zig-zag path as it escapes from the interior of the drum.

3. An apparatus for cooling or conditioning air or other fluid as claimed in claim 1, and in which the drum consists of a plurality of perforated cir-A cumferential layers one within the other, forming an evaporating surface, each perforated layer being helically wound round with a. tape leaving narrow spaces between the Various convolutions, the spaces between the convolutions of each layer being staggered relatively to the spaces of the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,826,508 Decker Oct. 6, 1931 2,157,974 Wentz May 9, 1939 2,170,576 Shaver Aug. 22, 1939 2,311,583

Styren Feb. 16, 1943 

